Phrasal verb
slip out
Definition
phrasal verb. to say something by accident that you intended to keep secret; it can also mean to leave a place quietly without being noticed.
phrasal verb. to be uttered inadvertently or unintentionally; also functions as a motion verb meaning to depart a location discreetly to avoid attention.
Examples
“I didn't mean to tell him; the secret just slipped out.”
“She tried to slip out of the meeting early so she wouldn't have to talk to her boss.”
“Although he had intended to remain neutral, a sharp comment about the administration's policy slipped out during the live interview.”
Examples
simple
“I didn't mean to tell him; the secret just slipped out.”
contextual
“She tried to slip out of the meeting early so she wouldn't have to talk to her boss.”
complex
“Although he had intended to remain neutral, a sharp comment about the administration's policy slipped out during the live interview.”
Usage
when referring to speech, the subject is usually the information or words; when referring to leaving, the subject is the person.
Teaching tip
contrast the 'accidental speech' sense with 'let slip', where the person is the subject; use the 'leaving' sense to teach the nuance of stealth versus a standard 'leave'.
Pitfall
He slipped out the secret to me.
The secret slipped out.
in the sense of accidental speech, the phrase is intransitive; the information itself is the subject, not the person speaking.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
slip + out
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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